Valve has opened Steam Frame reservations in the United States. You can choose the 256GB or 1TB model, but signing up does not guarantee an immediate purchase: after the window closes, Valve will use one randomization to assign applicants to a reservation queue or waitlist.
The initial signup period closes on September 17, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Valve says the first purchase emails are scheduled to begin on September 18.
How to reserve Steam Frame
The process is straightforward, but it is not a traditional race to refresh the checkout page. Follow these steps:
- Choose the 256GB or 1TB model. Your selection determines the configuration placed in the reservation process.
- Submit one signup before September 17 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Valve says the order in which people sign up does not determine their position; the queue is assigned after sign-ups close.
- Watch for the status email on September 17. The randomization places you either in the reservation queue or on the waitlist.
- If you enter the reservation queue, wait for a purchase email. Valve says the first batch is scheduled to go out on September 18, as units become available to ship.
- Complete the purchase within the available window. The reported process gives selected buyers 72 hours after the purchase email. If the deadline passes, the reservation can be canceled and offered to the next person in line.
A place in the reservation queue is therefore not the same thing as completing a purchase. It is an opportunity to buy the model you selected when Valve sends the invitation.
Eligibility and the anti-scalping rules
For the initial round, applicants are reported to need a Steam account in good standing with at least one purchase made before April 27, 2026. Valve limits the process to one signup per household and uses payment-method, shipping-address and related information to remove duplicate entries.
That design changes the usual hardware-launch incentive. Joining seconds earlier is not presented as a way to move up the line; the decisive event is the one-time randomization after the signup period ends. A waitlist result also means waiting for the queue to advance before a purchase invitation arrives.
Steam Frame models and US prices
Valve lists two storage configurations for the US reservation process:
| Model | Storage | US price |
| Steam Frame | 256GB | $1,059 |
| Steam Frame | 1TB | $1,299 |
The headset and controller system is designed for wireless virtual reality, streamed non-VR Steam games and standalone play. Valve says more than 100 games are already Steam Frame Standalone Verified. Each device also includes one redemption of Half-Life: Alyx through the headset settings, provided the copy has not already been redeemed on that device.
The 45W USB-C power supply with a 2.5-metre cable is sold separately for $29. Both storage versions are reported to use 16GB of Unified LPDDR5X memory, while the reported specification set also includes a 4nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, two 2,160 × 2,160 LCD displays, 72–144Hz refresh rates and inside-out tracking.
A pre-launch hands-on video adds context on the hardware package, Steam Link authorization and wireless PC VR use. It reflects the creator's own earlier experience and purchase intent, rather than Valve's reservation rules.
Where Steam Frame is sold first
Valve says its initial direct sales cover the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union and Australia. KOMODO handles distribution in Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The September 18 purchase-email schedule concerns the reservation process; it is not a promise that every applicant will receive a unit at that time.
